Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/407

 CHICAGO 399 boots and shoes. Along the river and its branches were extensive lumber yards, with im- mense quantities of lumber, lath, and shingles ; docks covered with coal and wood ; extensive depots, grain elevators, and flouring mills ; to- ward the north were distilleries, slaughter houses, and ship yards, and toward the south numerous packing houses. For a distance of about a mile and a half S. from the harbor were numerous railroad tracks for the accom- modation of three important lines, centering in the great central depot at the foot of Lake street. W. of the junction of the two branches of the river were extensive founderies and ma- chine shops. The principal buildings of the city having been destroyed by the fire, their renewal is now (1873) in progress. The cus- tom house and post office will cost about $3,500,000, and the new court house about $2,000,000, both exclusive of the ground. Chicago has a magnificent system of public parks, authorized in 1869, and laid out and partially improved previous to the fire, after which the work proceeded more slowly. There are six parks, aggregating nearly 1,900 acres, which are connected by a cordon of boulevards 250 ft. wide, extending around the three land sides of the city, with a drive on the lake shore. These give 33 m. of straightforward driving, besides the roadways around the park. Within the northern limits of the city is Lincoln park, containing 230 acres, with a broad front upon the lake. From the N. end of this park a boulevard 3 m. long extends W. to Humboldt park, which contains 193^ acres, lying 1-J- m. N. and 3 m. W. from the court house. About 2 m. S. of Humboldt park, connected by a simi- lar boulevard, is Central park, an irregular tract of land nearly a mile long from N. to S., and containing 171 acres, the middle line of which lies on Madison street, 4J m. from the court house. From this park the Douglas boulevard runs S. three fourths of a mile and E. seven eighths of a mile to Douglas park, which con- tains 171 acres. From this another boulevard runs 8. 4 m., thence E. 4J m., to the northern of two parks in the South division. The South park system comprises 1,055 acres. The North- ern or Western park contains 372 acres, lying between 51st and 60th streets. From the S. end of this park an avenue of great breadth extends eastward a mile to the E. division of another park embracing 593 acres, with a front- age of 1*6 m. on Lake Michigan. The South park system embraces about 14 m. of interior drives and 30 m. of walks. The scheme com- prehends the extension of a pier into the lake about 1,100 ft. to protect a harbor on the south which will connect it with a series of meander- ing lakes in the interior. The parks of the South division are outside the city limits, in the towns of Hyde Park and Lake. The three parks near the W. limits of the city are sup- plied with water from artesian wells. Besides those included in this system, there are several smaller parks. Chicago has water communica- 180 VOL. iv. 26 tion with a vast area. The lakes alone have some 3,000 m. of coast line. Steamers and vessels of the largest class trade with all ports on Lake Superior, bringing in copper and iron ores from the rapidly developing mines of that region. The Welland canal, between Lakes Erie and Ontario, admits vessels from Lake Michigan to Montreal, where they connect with steamer lines to Europe. Other canals give communi- cation with New York and the interior of New England. It is also proposed to construct a canal for vessels of 1,000 tons burden from the head of Georgian bay to Toronto, which would materially facilitate the lake commerce of Chicago. In the summer of 1856 the Dean Richmond was loaded with wheat at Chicago, which she discharged at the docks in Liver- pool ; and several other vessels have since made direct connection with European ports; but this operation was seldom profitable, owing to the great difference between the requirements of fresh and salt water navigation. Transfer at Montreal to ocean-built vessels is found to be much cheaper ; and the long cherished idea of European traffic without transfer is now abandoned. The Illinois and Michigan canal connects Chicago with La Salle, at the head of navigation on the Illinois river, which falls into the Mississippi. Work on this canal was commenced July 4, 1836, and finished in 1848, after a suspension of two years due to financial embarrassments. It is 96 m. long, with 15 locks; the highest level was 12 ft. above the lake. During 1866-'70 the canal was deepen- ed by the city of Chicago, at a cost of $3,251,- 621 ; the highest 26 m. being cut down to 8J ft. below the ordinary water level of Lake Michigan. This gives improved navigation, and also carries off the sewage of the city to- ward the Illinois river at the rate of a mile an hour, and draws with it enough water from the lake to keep the current clean. The canal is usually navigable from the middle of April to the latter part of November. The first line of railroad (toward Galena) was commenced in 1847. In 1850 there were 42 m. of connect- ing line. In 1852 the city was connected with the east by the Michigan Southern in February, and the Michigan Central in May. It now has railroad communication with all parts of the continent by four trunk lines to the east, six to the west, bridging the Mississippi and con- necting with the Pacific states, two south- ward to the gulf of Mexico and the southwestern states, and two northward to the Lake Superior region. In addition to these, with numerous branch lines and connections, a dozen other roads are now seeking admission to the city. More than 10,000 m. of railroad are directly tributary to Chicago, with annual gross receipts of nearly $100,000,000, and annual profits of $40,000,000 ; while 350 trains enter and leave daily, giving 700 arrivals and departures. The principal lines entering the city in 1873 were as follows: the Chicago and Northwestern; the Illinois Central ; the Chicago, Rock Island, and